Some of us are old enough to remember when social studies were part of our grade school curriculum. In those classes we were taught about the various political systems, particularly the differences between capitalism, socialism, and communism.
Many of those lessons are now long forgotten or were never part of the courses to begin with unless you came of age in the 50s when the “Red Scare” or the McCarthyites had folks trembling in their boots. Suddenly it seems that history is repeating itself, and this time as tragedy and not farce, to reverse a famous quote from Karl Marx.
There is nothing farcical about Trump’s manic intentions, and his assumption that “the communists” are coming, to mischaracterize the recent political victories by democratic socialists. We have no idea if the president knows the difference between socialism and communism — and there are distinct differences — but his purpose is to dredge up anything to offset the Republican Party’s deficits, especially in the November midterm elections.
But we have an incontrovertible faith that the American public will not fall for another round of his shenanigans and duplicity. The social studies lessons may be forgotten or never offered but the documentaries, films, and books have provided many Americans with an understanding of the McCarthy era, when Trump was a child. Clearly, this revival of an old ideological playbook is intended for the older members of his base, though it could very well have meaning for its younger members.
Whatever the case, we doubt it will stifle the recent insurgency of democratic socialists, and it could backfire, thereby stimulating the politically complacent voters to do some research and to better understand what’s at stake.
Red scare? Even if it came it can’t be any worse or scarier than Trumpism.
